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The Thirteen Problems
- Narrated by: Joan Hickson
- Series: Miss Marple, Book 2
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery
Summary
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What listeners say about The Thirteen Problems
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs A
- 27-06-14
Individual stories - unusual for Christie!
I liked this because it WASN@T a usual Christie book! I love the Miss Marple book, but find a lot of her other stuff a little tedious (I know I shall probably be stuck down for saying such things!!)
The individual stories are told by a group of people sat playing cards one evening and they start to tell their tales of woe!
Joan Hickson is FABULOUS as the narrator! She, in my opinion, was also the best Miss Marple in the televised adaptations too! She has the Oooh's and Ahh’s that Christie wrote so painstakingly for the Marple stories. None of the others have ever "got" that part - - anyway, I digress...
Over all I did actually enjoy this book! This is probably the 15th book I have read of Christies over the years and this is my favourites!
16 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Joan
- 16-01-12
What a Treat
A treat indeed to have the great Joan Hickson (surely the definitive Miss Marple) read some of Christie's greatest stories. Her quietly authoritative voice lends itself beautifully to the prose text and the clarity of her tones makes listening a pure joy. What a pity she passed on before the whole gamut of Miss Marple mysteries could have been recorded. That would be an archive worth having.
14 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Clare
- 28-03-13
Very good
Loved listening to the late Joan Hickson's melodious tones again. I enjoy Agatha Christie's shorter stories perhaps more than the longer ones, no need for character development, which I don't think was her forte, just a well crafted yarn.
12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Dave
- 13-04-13
Classic Christie all the way.
If you've read Christie before - and if you haven't, shame on you - you know what to expect. A complex riddle surrounded by red-herrings, archetypal characterisation, and loads of posh people. Joan Hickson, as expected, reads this as if she had written it herself. Simply brilliant.
10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Miss S
- 24-09-17
"A mind like a Victorian Sink!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Absolutely! These short stories contain the essence of Miss Jane Marple in all her glory. Her deceptive fluffiness, and her mind like a razor blade that cuts through all subterfuge. Time and again, her nephew Raymond and his bright young crowd, try to put Aunt Jane in the corner while they ponder some mystery. Time and again, she clicks away on her knitting needles and then informs them sweetly of the true solution to whatever baffled them. I never tire of it!
Who was your favorite character and why?
Miss Marple - who else?
Which character – as performed by Joan Hickson – was your favourite?
Joan Hickson, for me is the quintessential Miss Marple. Hearing an audio performance of these stories is like completing the BBC series starring her. It is delightful.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, many times I have listened to it in one gardening session.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gordon Davis-Day
- 19-04-17
A great bedtime listen
I loved this book and it is very well read by Joan Hickson as always.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- fewer12
- 16-04-17
A super set of stories narrated by the best.
If you could sum up The Thirteen Problems in three words, what would they be?
Thirteen well structured short mysteries.
What other book might you compare The Thirteen Problems to, and why?
Death By Drowning-same series.
What about Joan Hickson’s performance did you like?
Her diction and her ability to read the characters as they were written-without an absurd sense of 'modern irony'.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ginger
- 17-01-19
Good
Thirteen problems - clever and intricate. How does Agatha Christie do it? Lovely to listen to Joan Hickson’s voice.
The only irritation is the way that the next story starts at the end of the end of the previous one without a pause.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MrsF
- 18-02-15
Great as ever
Always a great read -I love Agatha Christie and Joan hickson!
Great way to start listening with these 13 short stories
8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Podenco Fan
- 07-11-19
SHEER DELIGHT ... shame about the editing!
This book is pure gold for Agatha Christie and Murder Mystery. Beautifully narrated, lovely bite size puzzles so skilfully crafted by the master of the whodunnit.
Only gripe ……….. um why on earth was it so sloppily edited with some of the last words of one short story run on top of the title of the next story - bizarre and jarring and such a simple thing to get right.
This delightful audio book is such a treat and works so hard to please - but whoever cobbled it together in such a haphazard way committed a far more hienous crime than any in the short story compilation.
A disgrace really but thankfully is unable to mar such a masterpiece - only to vex the listener but this brilliant audiobook soon soothes away this so easily avoidable unprofessional irritation.
Give it a go - highly recommended.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- happyretro
- 08-02-12
Awesome Miss Marple Short Stories
What did you love best about The Thirteen Problems?
Its a series of 13 short stories, expertly read by Joan Hickson (my favourite Miss Marple). Each story is the perfect length to listen to before bed, on the train, etc. Each keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering who-dunnit.
Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?
Yes, by having a series of short stories, so the suspense never lowers.
What does Joan Hickson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Joan Hickson's voice just epitomizes Miss Marple. But she's also a great actress who brings life to every character, and adds suspense and excitement through her voice.
Any additional comments?
A good selection for time poor people.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Diana
- 13-03-18
Not a Joan Hickson Fan - but great AC stories
you can't go wrong with AC short stories. every one of them entertaining in their own right. but I am not a fan of Joan Hickson's narration and it made the book just a little tedious. at points she sounded like she was mumbling and her diction isn't half as clear.
i know many fancy her the perfect miss marple, and mayhap she is but I would take the clear, crisp, and knowing voice of Geraldine McEwan anyday.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Yuen May
- 27-08-19
"Pleasant Pleasantries"
I can imagine Miss Marple's voice as I type this out. 😅🤭
It was so nice to hear Joan Hickson's voice again. For all the terrible murders, I feel like this is a series I will enjoy going through in my life (time). Although, now I'm tempted to start on the Hercule Poirot series.
But it is queer. To listen to all these discussions of these cases. Why... It almost makes me feel liko I'm beside Miss Marple, listening to her as she shares her observations on human nature.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mr kieran j murphy
- 06-07-19
Love agatha Christie
I never get tired of Agatha Christie and the narrators are wonderful - enough said I think.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stevo
- 14-08-14
Classic Miss Marple
Where does The Thirteen Problems rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
'The Thirteen Problems' is one of my favourite audio-books so far. The thirteen stories in this collection are Miss Marple at her best.
What did you like best about this story?
Agatha Christie really excelled at writing these type of stories, so all of the stories in this collection are very entertaining bite-sized mysteries.
I like short story collections as they are perfect for easy listening in short bursts.
Which character – as performed by Joan Hickson – was your favorite?
Miss Marple of course!
Joan Hickson was Jane Marple in the 1980's BBC TV series, so having this great actress narrate these Miss Marple stories brings an authentic voice to the thirteen stories. She does a brilliant job voicing all of the characters in this audio-book, but Joan Hickson is Miss Marple as far as I am concerned.
Who was the most memorable character of The Thirteen Problems and why?
These are Miss Marple stories where her shrewd intelligence and experience of human nature shine through, so nobody is supposed to surpass Jane Marple's clever way of solving problems... and nobody does.
Any additional comments?
A nice collection of mystery stories, that are very well written and very well performed.